Dock attachment



April 1963 c. G. BELL 3,084,517

DOCK ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 18, 1960 INVENTOR. 00.2215 6. BELL BY J MW Az'rozuars United States Patent Ofiice 3,984,517 Patented Apr. 9, 1953 3,084,517 DOCK ATTACHMENT Currie G. Bell, Mound, Minn. (1319 W. 9th St, North Little Rock, Ark.) Filed Feb. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 9,529 1 Claim. or. 61-48) This invention relates to attachments for docks and the like and more specifically to bumper devices for use with docks or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel bumper device, of simple and inexpensive construction, adapted for use with docks and the like for facilitating docking and mooring of boats.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel improved bumper mechanism for docks and the like and including means arranged and constructed to both yield and rotate in response to impact by a boat thus protecting both the boat and the dock during the docking of the boat.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved mooring and docking device including a plurality of adjustable bumper mechanisms connected in opposed pairs to oppositely facing sides of docks or the like and adapted to yieldably guide a boat into position for mooring and being adjustable to thereafter retain the boat in spaced moored relation to the dock but permitting vertical movement of the boat in response to wave action of the water.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of my novel bumper mechanism shown secured to the underside of a dock and extending outwardly therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention partly in section and partly in elevation with certain parts thereof cut away and with the roller mechanism being shown in an adjusted position by dotted line configuration;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one type of slip with a plurality of my novel bumper mechanisms secured thereto and arranged to guide a boat into its mooring position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan View of another type of slip having a plurality of novel bumper mechanisms secured thereto and arranged for maintaining a boat in its moored position; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse section taken approximately on line 55 of FIG. 4, greatly enlarged and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 1, it will be seen that one embodiment of my novel bumper mechanism, generally designated as is shown secured to the underside of a dock D adjacent one side thereof. Bumper device 10- includes an elongate substantialiy cylindrical hollow mount formed of suitable metallic material and having one end thereof closed as at 12 while the other end thereof is open. A pair of substantially flat bracket plates 13 are aflixed tangentially to the circumference of the tubular mount 11 as by welding and these bracket plates 13 are disposed in substantial parallel relation with respect to each other. The opposite ends of each of the brackets 13 are apertured for receiving bolts 14 therethrough, these bolts also extending through suitable apertures in the dock D. Lock nuts 15 threadedly engage the ends of the bolts 14 to secure the bracket plates 13 and stationary tubular mount 11 to the pier. One end of a link-type chain 16 is affixed to the outer circumferential surface of tubular mount 11 and a pin 17 is carried by its other end, the purpose of which will appear herein below.

My novel bumper device also includes a support mechanism in the form of an elongate tubular member or shaft 13 having an annular collar 19 afiixed thereto intermediate the ends thereof. Shaft 18 is provided with a pair of elongate slots 20 and 20a extending longitudinally of the shaft and which are circumferentially spaced apart approximately These slots 20 and Zita are substantially parallel and extend from a point just forwardly of collar 19 to a point adjacent the outer end of shaft 18. It will be noted that tubular mount 11 is provided with an aperture 11a adjacent its open end for receiving pin 17 therethrough. It is also pointed out that elongate support member 18 is positioned within tubular mount 11 in coaxial relation therewith for extensible and retractable movement through the open end of the mount as well as for rotation about its longitudinal axis within the tubular mount. When elongate shaft 18 is rotated so that one of the slots 20 or Ztla is in registering relation with the slot or opening 11a in the tubular mount, the pin or key '17 may then be extended through the aperture 11a and through the registering slot 20 or 20a in the elongate shaft 18. Thus the elongate support shaft 18 will be locked against rotation relative to the tubular mount 11.

An elongate compression spring 21 has one end thereof positioned against the closed end wall 12 of the tubular mount 11 and has the other end thereof bearing against the annular collar 19 to urge the shaft outwardly of the tubular mount. The pin and slot connection or locking means between the tubular mount and elongate support member 17 not only locks the shaft 18 against rotation relative to the tubular mount, but also limits extensible or outward movement of the elongate shaft relative to the tubular mount 11. However, because of the elongate configuration ofthe slots 20 and 20a, pin 17 while restricting rotative movement of the shaft relative to the tubular mount permits retractable and extensible movement of the shafts 18 through the open end of the tubular mount.

The outer end of elongate support member 18 is provided with a roller support member and in the present embodiment comprises a yoke-type bracket 22 aflixed thereto. This bnacket 22 includes a pair of arm portions 23 each extending radially outwardly of the shaft and each arm 23 has its inner end portion offset rearwardly as at 24 and which is affixed to the side portion of the shaft 18 as by welding or the like. The outermost ends of arms 23 are also bent 90 and extend forwardly as at 25 and these outer ends 25 are each provided with an aperture therein. An elongate bumper element or roller 26 is provided with a pair of shafts or pins 27 extending axially from each end thereof. These shafts or pins are journalled within the apertures formed in the forwardly extending end portions 25 of bracket 22. Thus roller 26 is supported by bracket for rotation relative thereto. Roller 26 is preferably formed of a yieldable somewhat resilient material such as rubber or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that a plurality of my novel bumper mechanisms have been fixedly secured to the oppositely facing sides S of a conventional slip D. The opposed sides S of slip D are substantially parallel with each other and a boat B is shown positioned therebetween and with my novel bumper mechanisms engaging opposite sides of a boat while the boat is being docked. When a boat is to be docked at a slip such as that shown in FIG. 3, the rollers 26 are rotated until they are positioned with their axis of rotation disposed substantially vertically. The pin 17 will extend through slot 20a when the rollers are disposed in a vertical position for rotation about a substantially vertical axis as indicated in FIG. 3. As the boat moves bow first between the first of the opposed pairs of the bumper mechanisms, the sides of the boat will strike the rollers thus urging the shaft 18 axially inwardly of its tubular mount 11 .gagement with the sides of the boat.

the rollers is cushioned and absorbed by the spring 21,

the yieldable construction of the roller 26 itself, and the notative effect of the roller with respect to the boat.

.Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of my novel bumper mechanisms are shown mounted in opposed pairs to another form of docking structure or slip D having a somewhat V-shaped configuration. The boat B is shown in mooring relation with respect to the slip D as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and it will be noted that the bumper mechanisms are adjusted to dispose the axis of rotation of the rollers 26 substantially horizontally as clearly seen in FIG. 5. By so disposing the axis of rotation of the rollers 26 substantially horizontally, the boat B positioned between the opposed pairs of the bumper devices will cause the shafts to be urged inwardly of their associated tubular mounts 11 against the bias of their respective springs 211 thuscausing the rollers 26 to be held into en- It will therefore be seen that when a boat is so moored between opposed pairs of the bumper mechanisms, lateral shifting of the boat will be cushioned and yieldably restricted by the springs 21 of the bumper mechanisms but the boat will be permitted to move vertically because of the horizontal disposition of the rollers 26. Vertical movement of the boat is caused by wave action of the water and tidal changes but it has been found that even in rough waters only one mooring line is necessary. FIG. 5 clearly illustnates the manner in which the roller 26 engages the side of a boat when the roller is disposed for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis.

It Will therefore be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a novel bumper mechanism which is arranged and constructed to prevent damage to a boat and a dock structure or the like when the boat is approaching the dock for docking and mooring of the same. It will also be seen from the preceding paragraphs that my novel bumper mechanism is of simple and inexpensive construction and contains relatively few parts so that there is little danger of malfunctioning of the mechanism. It will also be seen that a plurality of my dock mechanisms may be used in opposed pairs with various type dock structures and when so used serve to guide a boat into a mooring position and which are adjustable to thereafter effectively moor the boat in cooperation with a single What is claimed is:

Bumper device for attachment to a dock or the like comprising an elongate, substantially cylindrical mount having a closed rear end and an opened front end,

said cylindrical mount having an aperture therein adjacent the opened'front end thereof,

means for rigidly attaching said mount in fixed relation to a dock adjacent one side thereof with the opened front end of said mount disposed outermost, an elongate support member having one end thereof positioned Within said mount and having. the other end thereof projecting axially outwardly through the opened end of said mount,

said elongate support member having a plurality of substantially parallel, elongate, identical slots formed therein and each extending axially rearwardly from adjacent the terminal portion of the other end of said support member to a point located medially of said support member,

an annular support element aflixed to said support member adjacent the rear terminal ends of said slots and extending radially outwardly from said support member to engage the inner surface of said mount to support said elongate support member for axial and revolvable movement relative to said stationary mount,

a coil spring positioned within said cylindrical mount and having bearing engagement with the closed end thereof and said annular element for resisting and dampening axial retractive movement of said elongate support member,

a roller support member connected to said other end of the elongate support member and having an elongate roller rotatably mounted thereon, said elongate support member when revolved causing said roller to move from a position wherein its axis of rotation is disposed substantially vertically to a position wherein its axis of rotation is disposed substantially horizontally,

a locking pin insertable through the aperture in said mount into a selected one of said slots to lock the roller in one of the selected angulated positions while permitting axial movement of said elongate support member, said locking pin cooperating with said annular element to limit axial extension of said support member relative-to said mount.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 212,143 Hulster Feb, 11, 1879 799,645 Grimm Sept. 19, 1905 890,659 Kellner June 16, 1908 1,145,749 Claud July 6, 1915 2,647,412. Warmoes et a1 Aug. 4, 1953 2,748,905 Auruch June 5, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,973 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1913 534,174 Canada Dec. 4, 1956 

